21 at 33
| Recorded = August 1979, January – March 1980 | Genre = Soft rock, pop, post-disco | Length = | Label = MCA, Rocket | Producer = Elton John, Clive Franks | Last album = Lady Samantha (1980) | This album = 21 at 33 (1980) | Next album = The Fox (1981) | Misc = }} [http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10477 21 at 33 Elton John] Allmusic.com Lindsay Planer |rev2 = Rolling Stone |rev2score = Unrated |rev3 = Smash Hits |rev3score = 7/10 }} 21 at 33, released May 1980, is an album by Elton John. It is his fourteenth studio album. Including other releases (three compilation albums, two live albums, one film soundtrack and one EP) it is the 21st official release, and was released when Elton John was 33 years old; hence the title. It was recorded at Super Bear Studios, Nice, France, in August 1979, and Rumbo Recorders and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California between January to March 1980. The album sold over 900,000 copies in the United States, narrowly missing a Platinum certification.Liner notes to remastered 21 at 33 album Background The two other founding members of the original Elton John Band (active 1969-1975), drummer Nigel Olsson and bass player Dee Murray, reunited with him for one song. His backup keyboardist James Newton-Howard returned and performed on almost every track as was the case on Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves. Other musicians included members of the Eagles and Toto as well as Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits. The title comes from the fact that this was John's 21st album in total at the age of 33. According to the liner notes in the remastered edition of the album, the count includes all standard albums, two greatest hits compilations, two live albums, as well as the Friends soundtrack, the three-song, 12-inch EP The Thom Bell Sessions and the UK-only "rarities" collection Lady Samantha. John has not played any of the material in concert since touring in 1980, with the exception of "Little Jeannie", "White Lady White Powder" and "Sartorial Eloquence". Even "Little Jeannie", which was a huge North American hit (#3 Pop and #1 Adult Contemporary in the United States, and #1 in Canada) has never been performed since 1980, although it was included in the two One Night Only concerts in 2000, and the warm up gig for the 2 Madison Square Garden shows in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.One Night Only: The Greatest Hits DVD, 2000. Track listing Side one Side two *Five more songs, excluding the B-sides, were recorded during these sessions: "Heart in the Right Place", "Carla/Etude", "Fanfare", "Chloe" and "Elton's Song". They would appear on John's next release, The Fox. *The Yugoslavian release, released one year later in 1981, did not include "White Lady White Powder" and "Dear God". These were replaced with "Conquer the Sun" and "White Man Danger", otherwise only available as 7" B-sides to "Little Jeannie" and "Sartorial Eloquence", respectively. This pressing is their only availability on 33 RPM.https://www.discogs.com/Elton-John-21-At-33/release/3365202 In 2003, Mercury/Universal and The Rocket Record Company reissued the album on CD, remastered by Gary Moore. The lineup contained no bonus tracks. B-sides Personnel *Curt Becher – choir vocals (6) *Byron Berline – fiddle (8) *Richie Cannata – alto saxophone (7) *Lenny Castro – congas (5, 9) *Bill Champlin – backing vocals (2, 9) *Joe Chemay – choir vocals (6) *Victor Feldman – tambourine (1, 3, 5, 9) *Chuck Findley – trumpet (2, 4), trombone (2, 4) *David Foster – string arrangements (9) *Clive Franks – tambourine (4, 6), cowbell (4) *Glenn Frey – backing vocals (5) *Venette Gloud – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 9) *Max Gronenthal – backing vocals (2) *Larry Hall – trumpet (9), flugelhorn (9) *Don Henley – backing vocals (5) *Jerry Hey – flugelhorn (2, 9), trumpet (4, 9), brass arrangement (9) *Jim Horn – brass arrangement (2, 4), piccolo flute (2), alto saxophone (2), tenor saxophone (4) *James Newton Howard – Fender Rhodes (2, 6, 7), Yamaha CS-80 (2), electronic keyboards (3, 7), acoustic piano (9) *Elton John – lead and backing vocals, overdubbed piano, acoustic piano (1, 3, 5, 6, 8), Yamaha electric piano (4), Wurlitzer electric piano (8) *Bruce Johnston – choir arrangement (6), choir vocals (6) *Jon Joyce – choir vocals (6) *Steve Lukather – electric guitar (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9) *Reggie McBride – bass guitar (1-4, 6-9) *Dee Murray – backing vocals (2), bass guitar (5) *Peter Noone – choir vocals (6) *Nigel Olsson – drums (2, 5) *David Paich – organ (6) *Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (9) *Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals (5) *Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 9) *Alvin Taylor – drums (1, 3, 4, 6-9) *Toni Tennille – choir vocals (6) *Carmen Twillie – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 9) *Larry Williams – tenor saxophone (9) *Steve Wrather – electric guitar (7) *Richie Zito – acoustic guitar (2, 7), electric guitar (5, 8) Production *Produced by Clive Franks and Elton John *Engineers: Clive Franks, Steve Desper (Track 6), Patrick Jaunead (Tracks 1-4, 6-9). *Second Engineers: David Burgess (Tracks 1-4, 6-9), David Leonard, Peggy McCreary and Stephen McManus. *Recorded at Super Bear Studios (Berre-les-Alpes, France); Rumbo Recorders and Sunset Sound Recorders (Los Angeles, CA). *Mixed at Sunset Sound Recorders *Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Mastering Studio (Los Angeles, CA). *Studio Coordinatior: Adrian Collee *Art Direction: George Osaki *Design and Concept: Norman Moore *Photography: Jim Shea *Management: John Reid Management, LTD. Certifications |certyear=1980|recent=false}}} } Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts References Category:Elton John albums Category:1980 albums Category:Albums produced by Elton John Category:English-language albums Category:MCA Records albums Category:The Rocket Record Company albums Category:Albums recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders